Instep-arch support.



W. M. SCROLL. INSTEP Anon SUPPORT. APILIOATIOH FILED 35H. 27, 1908.

QQUAEQR, I at ntad Apr. 25, 19 11.

a fl ma gawzmm w z I WILLIAM M. SCHOLL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INSTEP-ARCH SUPPORT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. lVILLIAM M. SoHoLL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new-and usefulImprovements in Instep-Airch Supports, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in instep arch supports.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a support wherein thereis contained a yielding pad between the metallic arch plate and theoverlying foot-hearing cover surface.

Another object of my invention is to pro vide a support Whereih the archplate underlies the arch only, and the cushion or yielding pad isextended rearwardly beyond the plate, so that when said device is placedwithin the foot wear, wherein it is to be worn, the cushion or yieldingpad underlies the heel of the wearer,

Still another object ofmy invention is to increase the resiliency of theheel portion of an arch support by the provision of a heel cushion ofrubber or like resilient material, and to provide a hollowed heel-seatwhich will take form to accurately tit the wearer's heel.

A further object of my invention is to provide an arch support whereinthe tendency of the side support for the arch to force the footlaterally outward is compensated or by a heel seat arrangement tendingto resist such displacement. And yet another object of my invention isto provide a means where- ,by the parts of the device may be securedtogether without producing objectionable projections, indentations orother irregularities on the bearing leather surface to chafc orotherwise injure the feet of the wearer.

Other and further objects of my invention will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art from a consideration of the specification anddrawing.

In the drawing; Figure 1 is a plan view showing the top or foot bearingsurface of the device; F 1g. is a view of the bottom of the deviceshowing the arch plate, the yielding;- pad and a portion of the leathercover; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device; Fi 4- is a longitudinalsection on line P4 of ig. 2; Fig. 5 is the cross section taken on line55 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the riveted part indetail.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 27, 1908.

Patented Apr. 25, 1911.

Serial No. 412,691.

In all the views the same characters of reference indicate similarparts.

In the device I provide an arch supporting base structure, preferablyconsisting of a single metal arch plate IO shaped longitudinally toconform to the normal arch of the foot, and to extend from just in frontof the heel to a point back of the ball of the foot. Said arch plate 10is also transversely curved for conformity to the normal arch and isprovided with the usual side wing 10 following the shape of the curvedinner side of the instep-arch. Other base structures may be employed,however, but it is my prefhollowed portion of the instep arch of thefoot. The/pad 11 is preferably about coextensive with the cover piece 12save at its front edge where it preferably is somewhat shorter than thecover piece, both the pad and the cover being preferably skived offaround their porimeters for the dual purpose of facilitating sewing andfitting smoothly in theshoe.

14 indicates an elastic cushion preferably arranged beneath the heel ofthe cover piece for interposition between the cover piece and the shoeheel, said cushion being preferably secured ljietweeifthe cover pieceand felt pad. I piefcr that the elastic cushion 14: be made of spongerubber, or the like, shaped to provide heel seating recess 15 in itsupper surface immediately underlying the cover piece, and preferablyhigher or thicker along the side 14 of the recess toward. the outside ofthe foot than along its opposite edge. The rear edge of the cushion 14-is quite thick and in general it tapers forward to a thin edge, which,by reason of the greater height or thickness of the outer side 14: ofthe cushion extends angularly across the median longitudinal line of thesupport. In assembling these parts I preferably rivet the arch plate tothe superposed structure and sew the cover piece to the subjacentstructure in such manner that the surface of the cover piece is smoothand not perforated to an material extent as by rivets. Also I'preferablyre-: strict the stitching of the felt pad to the 5 edges thereof, andleave its middle portion free from stitching to avoid unduly compactingthe felt in spots, and to leave it free to come and go somewhat, inshaping itself to the foot of the wearer, without bunching ably provideat the points where rivets 16 are used to secure the base structure tothe pad, stay pieces 17 of firm fabric overlying the felt pad, andunderlying respectively the cover member and the heel, cushion. Throughthesepieces I pass the rivet-stems and then sew the ieces tothe'leatherpas shown at 1818 in ig. 1. The rubber cushion 14 may then besecured to the cover piece if desired, by stitching 19 following thethin front edge of the cushion, a'ndlthenthe pad 14 sewed about itsedge,as at 20 to'the leather cover piece, and at the heel, through therubber. The rivets 16,-whereof I prefer ably use but two, as shown, ofcours'eipass through proper apertures in' the pad and arch plate and areheaded beneath the archi plate to complete the union of the parts.

It will be obvious that; in use the leather cover piece will readilyyield to the heel of the wearer where it overlies the recess in" theheel cushion and will soon conform precisely to the heel of theiwearer,and that the rubber heel cushion and felt padding will 85 Furthermorethe conformation of the heel recess, With'its high edge toward the outerside of the foot, tends to offset the tendency of the foot to work awayfrom the high in 40 nor side of the arch support, adding com.- fortforthe wearer and preventing run ning over of the shoe..

While I have herein described in some detail a specific embodiment of myinvention which I believe to be new and which I have found to bepractical 1n operation, it

will be understood that numerous changes in the s ecific embodiment maybe made Without eparture from the spirit and scope 0 of my invention.

h Having thus described my inventlon, what ,I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patcut, is;-

1. In a device of the character described,

the combination of an arch plate, a pad' above the arch plate, a heelcushion above the heel portion of said pad, anda cover above said padand heel cushion, rivets securing the pad to the arch plate, and staypieces for securing the cover and heel cushon to said pad'and-archstructure.

2. In a device ofthe character described, the combination of an archplate, a pad above-the arch plate, rivets connecting the padand archplate, a cover above the pad,

or wrinkling. For these purposes I prefer-' afiord great comfort'andease to the user'.'

and stay pieces for connecting the cover and pad-and-arch structure. a

3. In a device of the character described,

thecombination of an arch plate, 'a pad above the arch plate-having aheel portion beyond the arch plate and extendin slightly than said 'pad,a heel cushion suitably ta-'. pered for. fitting closely between theheel a portions of saidpad and cover, rivets con 'necting said pad andarch plate together,

and stay pieces fpr connecting the cover and heel cushion together andto the pad-andarch structure.

A. An arch plate, a pad, a heel'cushion I and a cover secured to the padand heel cushion, a stay piece between the cover and pad. and a secondstay piece between the plate, a

heel cushion and pad, and rivets connecting the stay pieces, pad, andarch plate.

5. In a device of the character described,

the combination of an arch plate, apad',

,, stay pieces above the pad, rivets connecting the stay pieces, pad,and arch plate, and a cover secured the stay pieces. f

'6. In a device of the character described, a metal arch plate local tothe arch proper of the foot, acompressible pad overlylng said plate andextending in rear thereof to underlie the heel of the foot and form thelowermost member of the device at the heel portion thereof, a forwardlytapering ruber heel cushion overlying the entire heel :portion of thepad, 9. cover lying directly upon said cushion and the forward portion'0 said pad, throughout substantially the entire'exposed surfacethereof, and means for securing said parts together. I

7 In a device of the character described, a metal arch plate local tothe arch proper of the foot, a compressible pad dire'ctly overlying saidplate, extending backward beyond the arch' plate to underliesubstantially the entire heel of the foot, rivets connecting said plateand pad, a rubber heel cushion covering. substantially the entire heelfportion of said pad, and tapered toward. orward end for substantiallysmooth juncture with the curve of the pad portion overlying-the 'aichplate, a cover directly imposed upon said cushion and the pad portion infront thereof, and means for securing said cover and cushionto the padand plate structure. j.

'8. In a device of the character described,

a metal arch plate local to the arch-proper of the foot, a compressiblepad directly over lying said plate, extending backward beyond the archplate to underlie substantially the entire heel ofthefoot,--rivets-connecting said plate and pad, a rubber heel cushioncoveringj substantially the entire heel portion of said pad,.. andtapered toyvard its 990,458 &

forward end for substantially smooth junc- In testimony whereof Ihereunto set my ture with the curyie of the pad POItiOIiOVBT- hand inthe presence of two witnesses. lyin the arch ate, a cover direct imposed upon said ushion and the pad p rtion WILLIAM SCHOLL' 5 in frontthereof, and means connecting said In the presence 0fcover to therivets, with the rivets concealed GEO: T. MAY, J r., by the cover. MARYF. ALLEN.

